Placing Change
by Aqua Queen
Summary: Fifth year and new students...it's been done, but this is different, k?
1. Rhiannon's Arrival

  
A/N: Hey! This is my first HP fanfic. It is rated PG-13 because later chapters will more *teenager* oriented. I know this has been done before, but it's different, ok? Please r/r!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 1  
Rhiannon's Arrival  
She was beautiful and she knew it. Her beauty was natural and created and aura around her that followed her like a stray dog and attracted people to as though she was a magnet. It may have been her auburn brown hair or her greenish bluish gray eyes, or it could have been her wisdom beyond her fifteen years or her vibrant personality. According to the world's standards she was perfect, but right now she felt awful.  
As the train chugged onward she looked out the window into the dreary British country-side.   
"Rhiannon, I know you miss everyone, but this is the best school for your talents," Mrs. West had assured her daughter an hour earlier at platform 9 and 3/4 in London.   
"I'm going aren't I? You never said anything about enjoying it!" Rhiannon felt hostile as she eyed the deep maroon train that had pulled up to the wooden platform. She was the only person under twenty about to board the train and was not looking forward to listening to half deaf old women reminiscing about the "good old days". Her mother gave her a final hug and gave Hoover, Rhiannon's pet snowy owl, a pat on the head and turned took a step nondescriptly letting Rhiannon board the train.  
Once she had boarded, Rhiannon found a compartment to herself and put her trunk down. She let Hoover out of his cage and let him sit on her shoulder as she took out the latest issue of "Teen Witch Weekly". An hour had passed and the urban chaos had melted into a colorless blur of fields that were progressing into a cryptic forest. She had taken some Chocolate Frogs from a kind pudgy woman pushing a cart of treats around, but wasn't really interested in eating them.   
Rhiannon had transferred from a prominent wizarding school in America where she was at the head of her class. Hogwarts was supposed to be a very good school, but Rhiannon missed all her friends and they would definitely not be at Hogwarts. Had she had been someone else observing Rhiannon, she would have noticed that she would have no trouble at all making friends. People always followed her, impressed by her sparkling personality, amazing intelligence, and natural good looks.  
"So, Hoover, just you and me now. No Keely to make us think or Jake to make us laugh, just us," Rhiannon removed her owl from her shoulder and cradled him in her arms as though he were a little puppy. He hooted his reply and fluttered around the compartment pecking at the window. Suddenly, someone knocked on the compartment door.   
"Y-y-yes?" Rhiannon was unsure of her usually strong voice. She rarely lost her near perfect composure. The door opened and the woman who had been pushing the food cart entered.   
"We'll be at Hogsmeade station in ten minutes, you may want to change into your robes. Are you okay?" The woman looked at Rhiannon with a motherly expression that was hard to decipher.   
"I'm just nervous, I really want to make new friends but I'm not sure if I can do it," Rhiannon sighed heavily and went to her trunk. "Oh god, I forgot the combination! Wait, ALOHAMORA!" the popped open and revealed neatly folded clothing and orderly books. She pulled out her black robes and fastened them over her muggle clothes as the woman began to speak.  
"Dear, if you're worried about making friends just be yourself. We're nearly there, let me help you with your trunk," The woman grabbed one end of the large wooden trunk as Rhiannon secured Hoover in his cage. She grabbed her broom bag embroidered with shiny red thread in the word Firebolt. She was a star quidditch player in America and as excited to try and play at Hogwarts even though the season had already started since it was almost winter and school had been in session for two months already.  
They walked out on the platform in Hogsmeade and smiled at each other as goodbye.   
"Rhiannon West? Are you o'er here?" A deep voice boomed out behind her making Hoover flutter in his cage. Rhiannon turned around to she a huge man with wild black tresses hanging down to his extremely broad shoulders.  
"Right here, sir," Rhiannon said with unnoticeable mock confidence as she threw her shoulders back.  
"Oh, hi there!" the man beamed, "The name's Hagrid...I'm the gamekeeper and care of magical creatures teacher, now what do you that we get on back to the school?" He easily grabbed her trunk and noticed her broom bag. "Is that a...Firebolt?" Hagrid breathed the word "Firebolt" as though it were the name of some god.   
"Yes," Rhiannon replied simply.  
"There's only one other person in the school with a Firebolt, Harry, damn good flier, too. He'll have ter meet you," Hagrid gave Hoover a pat, "Cute owl, reminds me of Harry's, what year are you?"  
"Fifth and let me guess...Harry's in fifth, too," Rhiannon grinned as they climbed into a horseless carriage that dragged them up a large hill overlooking a large lake. The castle was just as it had looked in the numerous pictures she had seen.  
"Yeah, he is. Gets himself in lots er trouble, that boy," Hagrid stepped out of the carriage and slid out Rhiannon's trunk before helping her out. They were in front of large wooden doors with a brass knocker that Hagrid banged three times. A woman with an I-Mean-Business bun appeared.  
"Hagrid," she nodded greeting to Hagrid, "and you must be Rhiannon West, come with me, you are to be sorted now. I'm Professor McGonagall, you're transfiguration teacher and head of Gryffndor house," Professor McGonagall grabbed Rhiannon's wrist and walked her down a long corridor with portraits and landscapes that smile, cried, and blew in the wind.   
"Here we are, Rhiannon," Professor McGonagall motioned to two large doors similar to the ones outside. "This is the great hall, Headmaster Dumbledore will introduce you and you'll be sorted into your correct house." She was about to add something about straightening herself, but she noticed the girl was perfect in every regard of her appearance.   
"Okay, I'm ready," Rhiannon said with confidence. Gryffndor, please Gryffndor, she thought with her fingers crossed.   
As the doors opened a wave of silence floated above the great mass of students and teachers. The enchanted ceiling cast shadows across Rhiannon's face making her look even more beautiful.   
"Ah, our new student! Welcome, Rhiannon!" Albus Dumbledore rose out of his seat and walked down to shake Rhiannon's hand. She was so captivated by the room that she didn't notice the number of male students craning their necks to look at her. "Students," Dumbledore said in a merry voice, "this is Rhiannon West our new fifth year student. She will now be sorted." A number of younger boys sat down intimidated by her age. Dumbledore led her to a three-legged stool with a quite abused looking hat on top. Many of the students listened intently for the hat's song and Rhiannon's house. The hat sprang to life and cleared its throat.  
"There once was a hat,  
On a stool it sat.  
He decided that since he got no pay  
That there would be no song today"  
The whole room burst out laughing but the teachers looked extremely frightened. "Alright, Rhiannon have a seat and put on that," Dumbledore gave her a push. She sat obediently and placed the hat luxuriously upon her head, it fell over her eyes. Hmmm, you're smart and brave and very talented at sports, a little voice echoed through her head. You have a lot of potential, better be... Gryffndor! Rhiannon smiled and floated to the Gryffndor to the cheers of the students.  



	2. Perfection

A/N: Hey guys! I have thoroughly enjoyed reading my reviews and getting tips on how to make it better, special thanks goes to Diamystical and Anti Mary-Sue for pointing out the obvious and giving me great ideas. Thanks guys! Keep reading and reviewing and all keep writing. I also promise that Rhiannon is not really a total Mary-Sue and she and Harry will not fall in love.   
  
Warning: This chapter contains teenagers acting as teenagers if this makes you angry please cease reading now, as I do not like getting flames.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not legally own any of these characters except for Rhiannon. I do not and will not say that I own them. Please, don't sue me as I currently am saving up for a band trip to Disney World and hold only $30 pocket money.  
  
And now for the feature presentation...  
  
Chapter 2  
Perfection  
  
Silence had begun as Rhiannon's wristwatch beeped announcing the coming of the next day. She had just been involved in a conversation between her roommates and had almost dissolved into tears. But now she sat cross-legged on her four poster bed with the curtains drawn and a dim light coming from the end of her wand flipping through her scrapbook.   
Pictures of her best friends Jake and Keely smiled and waved back her. Keely was highly intellectual and always made sure their conversations were meaningful whereas Jake always provided words to laugh over. Her roommates seemed nice and smart, especially Hermione, but Rhiannon found it hard to believe that these people would be replacing Jake and Keely. She flipped the pages until a she heard a knock on the window. Hoover, she thought.  
She opened the window and caught Hoover as flew through and hugged him. He made an impatient squawking noise and shook his leg to indicate a letter. Once the letter was removed she took Hoover quietly back with her to her bed, drew the curtains, and created a perch suspended from the canopy that Hoover was quick to stand upon. Rhiannon unrolled the long coil of parchment and began to read.  
Dear Rhia,  
It's Jake. I miss you very much and so does Keely. It's the middle of the night and I can't sleep so I decided to write I guess I'll start at the beginning.  
The day after you moved your mother sent us pictures from that party you had, remember? All during breakfast Keely sobbed and I tried to make her laugh but she wouldn't. We had to go straight back to work and start preparing for the headmaster's birthday feast. All our teachers said something about how they missed their most productive student.  
You're perfect, you know that? You're pretty, smart, talented at everything, perfect. I guess that's a good thing, but now everyone is falling apart without you. Why did you have to be perfect? Why did you have to make yourself a foundation for everyone to prosper upon, leave and make everything collapse? I don't know why I've never told you this but I love you. When I look at you in the pictures I want to kiss you and relive the moment again and again.  
I'm sorry, you're probably having a hard enough time as it is. I'll go now.  
~ Jake  
Although she didn't notice, Rhiannon's face was drenched with tears. She loved Jake, too and now her chance was gone. But that wasn't at all what was making her quite so sad, in fact that was somewhat enlightening. She had finally realized it.   
Perfection. It's what her parents had strove for in her, but Rhiannon had never wanted to be perfect. Her parents had taught her how to fly her broom at an early age and got professionals to train her. She had a tight study regimen that reaped success. She was always pampered and spa-ed and kept beautiful. She was perfect. And she hated it.   
Hoover flew out the window has Rhiannon thrust it open allowing the breeze to cool her blazing tears. She could not sleep, she needed to find a way out of perfection, and it was imperative. Silently, she crept down the staircase into the common room lit by the light of a glowing fireplace. Rhiannon curled up in one of the soft armchairs and cradled her knees to her chin rocking herself back and forth. The undulating motion of her body soothed hey and pretty soon she was in a very light sleep.  
"Rhiannon?" the voice was a whisper full of honey.  
"Yes?" Rhiannon answered groggily, her eyes shut.  
"So you're awake," the voice spoke once more.   
"What time is it?" Rhiannon slowly opened her eyes and fluttered her lids at the contrast between the shadows of light and dark coming from the fireplace. She finally focused on a tall boy with a medium build and sandy blonde hair.  
"Around two in the morning," the boy said as he sat on the arm of the chair.  
"I know I should get better with names, but who are you?" Rhiannon stared up into the boys greenish brown eyes and returned his smile. His face was tan and slightly freckly.  
"I'm Seamus Finnigan, Rhiannon West," the boy said expanding his smile.  
"Hello then, Seamus, what brings you here at two o'clock in the morning?" Rhiannon got up and stretched before reclaiming the armchair.  
"The fact that Ron snores and that I heard you walk down," he said. The shadows of the fire danced across his face creating a passionate look that made him seem as though he were the handsomest man she'd ever seen. He grinned and showed her perfect teeth all in a row. "What's your excuse?"  
"Uh...well, since you're here I might as well share with you all my problems," he had risen off the armchair's arm and had relocated to the floor.  
"Okay, even though I can't seem to understand that you have problems," he sat at her feet looked up to her.  
"Wait, I have an idea," Rhiannon ran up to her dorm hoping that Seamus would be sitting right where she had left him. She grabbed what she wanted from her trunk and rushed down stairs.  
"Back," she said breathlessly when she realized Seamus had taken her armchair.  
"Is that a..."   
"Magic carpet, yes, and I'm going to take you for a ride," Rhiannon unrolled the rug and poked it with her wand, it levitated off the ground.   
"Aren't they illegal?" Seamus asked apprehensively.  
"Have you ever read the news? The law was abolished when all carpets without invisibility charms were replaced with ones that are completely invisible to muggles. So, are you coming?" Rhiannon flopped down on the carpet and it wriggled in mid-air.  
"Yes, I am," Seamus opened the window and sat on the carpet as the glided effortlessly into the night air. Perfect girls don't break the rules, Rhiannon thought.  



End file.
